WASHINGTON (AP) - The National Endowment for the Arts is forming a task force of 13 federal agencies to foster more research on how the arts impact human development at all stages of life.

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The task force being announced Wednesday includes the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and others.

The arts endowment says there are major gaps in federally sponsored research on the arts, including how the arts affect the young and old and people with illnesses, injuries or disabilities.

The task force will identify joint research funding across the agencies and coordinate information about funding for researchers of the arts, health and education.

The NEA is announcing the task force Wednesday morning during a webinar.